


Selene

by Lotophagia



Category: Mother 2: Gyiyg no Gyakushuu | EarthBound
Genre: Gen, Kidnapping, Mid-Canon, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-28
Updated: 2015-01-09
Packaged: 2018-02-27 04:59:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2680022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lotophagia/pseuds/Lotophagia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened to Paula while she was kidnapped by Monotoli, anyway?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Vacation, Interrupted

Paula adjusted her hair ribbon as she and Ness sat on the steps of the Topolla Theater. It had taken a few minutes to adjust to the sunlight after the darkness of the concert hall, but she hardly minded; it was a beautiful day on that cusp between spring and summer, and it was hard to be anything but cheery when the sky was so clear.

“You told Jeff that we’d meet him outside, right?” she asked, turning to the boy next to her.

“Yep! I dunno why he wanted to talk with the band alone, though.” Ness chewed his lip thoughtfully as he played with the brim on his baseball cap. “I mean if he wanted an autograph he could have just asked for one.”

“He said it was a gift, though… and he seemed kinda embarrassed about it.” Paula couldn’t help but giggle slightly. “Do you think he has a girlfriend?”

“Jeff, with a girlfriend? … Nah! That would be too weird!” Ness stuck his tongue out as he looked over at his friend, only to fall on his back while dodging a sudden snowball.

“And what do you mean by weird, huh?” Paula laughed, more frost already forming on her fingertips.

“Aw Paula, I didn’t mean that girls are gross or anythi -ACK!” The next snowball caught him on the side of his head, and Ness had to dance around slightly to shake the snow out of his shirt. “C’mon, that’s not fair!”

“Sorry, sorry!” Paula laughed, not sorry at all, but at least Ness had the good humour to join in. “But you shouldn’t tease Jeff about it. He’s really nice, I bet there are a bunch of girls in Winters who’d like him.”

Ness shrugged. “Okay, I won’t tease Jeff about it. But I dunno. I think with him it would be more like that movie where the kids make a robot girlfriend…”

“Ness…”

“OW! Hey, that one was actual ice!”

“Um…” Ness and Paula froze mid-scuffle at the new voice behind them. “Did I miss something…?”

At seeing their friend standing in the doorway, the two psychics quickly separated and tried to look as though they weren’t just trying to pelt each other with supernatural snowballs. It was less successful than either had hoped, and Jeff simply raised an eyebrow as he walked down to join his friends.

“Just, yanno, passing time.” Ness shrugged, trying to act casual. “Did you get the thing?”

“Yes!” Jeff managed to beam at that, as he held up the cassette. “Winters is always further behind on Runaway Five albums, this isn’t even due to be released for a couple months and it takes forever for any new music to get to Snow Wood! I can hardly wait to listen to it!”

“Well, we could listen to it now,” Ness said. “I think there’s supposed to be a tape deck in the hotel.”

“Ah… n-no, this is… it’s a gift, I couldn’t...” Jeff replied, a faint blush on his cheeks. “I couldn’t possibly listen to it first…”

“Okay, okay, no prob. Tell you what, I’ll call Tracy and have her stash it for you, that way it’ll be safe until you get back home. Sound good?”

Jeff’s face lit up at that. “You would? That’s… thanks, Ness.” He smiled, relaxing his shoulders. “That would be great.”

While she knew better than to pry, Paula couldn’t help but wonder what kind of girl Jeff would have a crush on. Probably someone really pretty and smart, but she felt like whoever it was Jeff had known them for a long time… she shook her head, following after the boys as they ran for a pay phone.

If he wanted to talk about it, he’d talk about it.

\--------

One phone call later and Jeff’s gift was safely stowed away as the three friends hung out in the park, talking about both the show and the adventure in the mines that had gotten them front-row seats for it. But even with everyone else so happy, Paula couldn't help but think of the other big problem they hadn't dealt with yet.

Finally, as Ness and Jeff were arguing over whether it was ‘fries’ or ‘chips,’ Paula had to speak up.

“What are we going to do about Pokey?”

The two boys paused and looked at each other. With all the excitement of the past couple of days, they had nearly forgotten about the fact that Pokey Minch was up there in Fourside’s tallest building, claiming to be the right-hand-man of a corrupt mayor with the police force eating out of his hand.

“That’s… a very good question,” Jeff answered after a minute or so. “It’s true that he must be up to something, but we have no proof of foul play on either his part or that of this Monotoli person.”

“And with the police working for him, we can’t trust them to dig up anything.” Paula hugged her knees, trying to think of their options. “If we’re going to get evidence we’ll have to find it ourselves.”

Ness remained quiet. Seeing the look on his face, Paula felt bad about how she had brought the subject up; all she knew of Pokey was from when she was kidnapped back in Happy Happy Village, but he had been Ness’ neighbor and friend for a long time. And while the other boy had claimed to be hypnotized, all it took was Ness waiting a little too long to reply for him to take it back and run off.

And now Pokey was working for the mayor. Was it the same situation, or something else?

Paula shuddered. Even with all they had faced since then, being kidnapped by Mr. Carpainter’s cult had been the most frightening thing to ever happen to her. Locked up in a shack in the middle of nowhere, her only option being to pray to anyone capable of helping…

“You… you think it’s the same deal as that Painter guy?”

Paula looked over at Ness, who was staring at the sky thoughtfully.

“I mean, Pokey was working for him back then too. And he… maybe he’s still…” Ness hesitated to continue, but Paula didn’t need telepathy to know what he was trying to say. And that he couldn’t say it, because it was more likely that this time Pokey was manipulating things of his own free will.

“It does seem to match the cult situation you told me about,” Jeff nodded. “An unexpected rise to power, the population being controlled… or at least, the part that holds the most power, such as a police force. But that doesn’t change the fact that we have no proof and no common factor beyond Pokey’s presence.”

“Well… what about that weird statue?”

“The one that was underground in your hometown?”

“Yeah. Like you said there’s no proof, but if Poke- if it got here somehow, maybe…”

Paula regretted mentioning the subject. That statue had kept her up night after night in her prison, and she was sure that whatever influence it had over Peaceful Rest Valley had messed with her PSI abilities and kept her from simply breaking out. Nights of helpless terror, waiting to be made a human sacrifice… And then there was the time in Threed, where she and Ness were trapped with their only chance for freedom an ocean away…

She never wanted to feel so powerless again.

“Paula? Paula, you okay?”

The young girl blinked, and realized that her hands were clenched so tightly that they had turned white. Both Ness and Jeff were looking at her with concern, causing Paula to laugh and try to hide her arms.

“Y… yes, just fine! Really,” she added as the boys continued to watch, unconvinced. “I’ll be okay. But… it’s like Jeff said. We can’t do much without proof… and I don’t think we have a chance of getting back into the tower right now. I… I don’t think we can do anything to help.”

“Well, not right now.”

“Huh?”

Jeff adjusted his glasses, taking a breath before he continued. “ I, um… well yes, things are looking pretty hopeless right now, but that doesn’t mean we’re beaten. Maybe if we ask around, we can find a lead that could shed some light on everything. Plus we know that Monotoli has been seen at that café, so we can always watch for him there.”

“Seems like that’s all we can do right now, I guess. And we don’t really have any other goals right now, so…” Ness looked over the other two, and nodded to himself. “We’ll try asking at the Café again, maybe even stake it out. But not today, if that’s okay with you guys?”

“Why not today?” Paula asked, only to see Ness reach into his backpack and take out a sheet of paper.

“Well, after fighting those moles I think we should get the rest of the day off, yanno? We’ve already gone to see the Runaway Five’s concert, and I saw this flyer about an opening sale at the department store… how about we go shopping?”

\--------

Twoson may have had its own department store, but Paula had always enjoyed the open market in Burglin Park more. Maybe it wasn’t the best place for a proper young lady, as her father would say, but everyone there liked her and Mr. Everdred really wasn’t a bad guy once you talked to him a little.

Still, Paula had to admit that the store in Fourside was impressive.

She was the first one on the escalators, enjoying the little hop as she got off at the second floor. Turning around she saw Jeff right behind her, but not Ness... until she heard his voice and looked over the railing, only to see the boy trying to run up the ‘down’ escalator. Making some good progress on it as well, despite glares from the front desk.

As soon as he reached the top Ness jumped off and posed like in a gymnastics routine, prompting Paula and Jeff to give a small round of applause.

“Thank you, thank you- hey, we’re at the food court!” Ness perked up instantly, dropping the routine to head for the nearest stall. “Who wants hamburgers, I’m buying!”

“Didn’t we just have popcorn at the theater, though?” Jeff asked in weak protest.

“Yeah, but that was a whole two hours ago, and I’m hungry!”

Jeff gave a small sigh as he followed behind, not really hungry but definitely not passing up a free meal, and Paula trailed after. Before long they had gotten their snacks (fries and fruit juice for Paula, coffee and a croissant for Jeff, and a double burger for Ness) and were sitting at one of the tables as they laughed at various stories about Ness’ hometown.

“So just as… “ Ness rambled in between large bites of his burger, “just as I was telling mom that King had knocked over the flowerpot, he walks in the backdoor completely clean! So now instead of being mad that we were playing baseball indoors, she’s mad at us for not picking up the dirt before washing King. And THAT’S when he decides to roll in the plant…”

 _He’s doing this for you, you know._ Paula thought suddenly, pausing mid-laugh. _He probably saw how upset you were in the park and wanted to cheer you up._

Did it matter, though? She looked over at her friend, still wrapped up in his tale, and smiled. Sure, being kidnapped had been frightening… but she was still happy that Ness was the one to save her. He never teased her about it (and he teased them about a bunch of things), and when they had been captured in Three he spent the whole time telling jokes and trying to take Paula’s mind off the situation. He had even offered up his shares of food, and… well, for someone like Ness that meant a lot.

“Long story short, turned out that was the only pair of clothes Lier had so we had to lend him one of dad’s suits… Hey Paula, what’re you looking at?”

“Wh-?” Was she staring? Oh gosh, she was staring wasn’t she? “N…nothing! Just thinking.” Paula paused, then smiled. “Thanks, Ness.”

“For what, the story?”

“No, for… um. Never mind.”

She glanced away, blushing slightly, but out of the corner of her eye she could see Ness smile.

“Right, then…” Jeff pushed his chair from the table with a faint squeak. “Sorry to interrupt, but I see someone I can get supplies from. So… meet you up on the top floor?”

“Yeah, alright.” Ness scarfed down the last bit of burger, jumping to his feet as well. “C’mon, Paula, let’s see what else is here!”

“After you,” she smiled, following.

\--------

Being a schoolteacher's Paula never had a lot of money, but it didn't mean that she didn't love to shop. Of course, shopping for fun in Twoson usually meant talking with the vendors at Burglin, but Ness insisted that they take advantage of the allowances his dad had given him.

And so Paula did just that… sort of. There was only so much you could buy when you didn't know where or for how long you were travelling, and as much as Paula would have loved a new book or three or some fancy clothes she still had to be practical. Eventually she settled on a new frying pan, ignoring the vendor’s odd look as she tried a few practice swings, and Ness insisted on paying for a new bracelet and hair ribbon.

As they walked by a toy store, Ness paused. “Hey… Paula?” She turned around to see him looking through the window at… oh.

“I still have some money left, and… it can’t really make up for your old one, but…”

It really did look just like Mr. Teddy; Paula was surprised that Ness remembered. The grip tightened on her bag slightly as she thought of her old stuffed animal, lost to the cavern leading up to the Lilliput steps. It had been a gift from her grandma when she was little, brought along when Carpainter captured her, and then it had saved her life…

She managed a faint smile. “Ness… thanks for asking, but I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” Ness walked closer, and Paula could sense his concern. This whole trip really was his trying to cheer her up, and she felt herself tear up at the thought.

“I’m sure. Tell you what…” Paula reached over to take his hand, blushing almost as much as Ness though neither pulled away nor let go. “You can get it for me when all this is over, okay?”

“O… okay. If you say so…” Ness smiled and laughed a little, and they spend the next couple minutes holding hands and watching the toy train loop through its track in the window display.

She wanted the bear more than anything, if only as a reminder of the home she had left behind, but… right now, it would only be another decoy for battle, and she didn't think she could stand losing Mr. Teddy again.

They must have lost track of time watching the display, because when Jeff gave a small cough behind them it was enough to make Ness leap a foot into the air.

“Ah- hey, Jeff!” Paula said, trying to hide her embarrassment. “Did you get what you needed?”

“I certainly did.” The blonde boy nodded, holding up what looked like a box for a large remote controlled car, but the other kids knew better. “It should be enough to take care of any problems we run into. Did you two, um…” Jeff paused to adjust his glasses. “Did you find everything…?’

“Yep!” Ness played with his hat a bit as he stepped away from Paula. “I mean, if Paula did…”

“I’m fine,” she nodded. “How about we go back to the hotel and work on a plan?”

Jeff just nodded, turning to head back down the escalator, and Ness and Paula couldn’t help but smile awkwardly at each other as they followed.

\--------

With Jeff focused on not dropping his bottle rockets and Ness still embarrassed from their interruption in front of the toy store, Paula was left to her own thoughts as they descended to the first floor.

It had been a good day, all things considered; and with how much the three had been traveling and fighting, a good day had been just what they needed. Monotoli and Pokey were still looming over their heads, and they had no leads on the next Sanctuary, but the Runaway Five were free of their contract and the group had spent a fun day at the theatre and mall. They had a plan, and they had each other. Things were going to work out.

Weren’t they?

Ness was the first to hop off the escalator, stepping aside as Paula stepped off with her bags and Jeff attempted to balance the heavy box in his arms.

“You sure you’ve got that, Jeff?” He asked, as they walked to the door.

“I’m sure, just don’t dis-“

There was a faint pop from above them, and everything went dark. Surprised by the sudden outage, Jeff lost his balance and crashed into Paula, who crashed into Ness, and all three fell to the floor.

“Ow…” Paula winced, the first one to try and get back up. From the sound of it Jeff was focused on gathering up the spilled bottle rockets, and Ness was groaning from his own fall. “Is everyone okay?”

“Y-yes, just let me… ah!” There was the sound of something rolling away, and what was probably Jeff chasing after it.

“I dink zo… hang on, by noze iz…” A few gleams of light, as Ness attempted to heal up his face.

“Good…” Paula stood there awkwardly in the gloom, having come out of the collision perfectly fine. At least the power outage hadn’t happened while they were on the escalator; it would have been a disaster with so many people… around…

Wait.

Where WAS everyone?

A chill ran down Paula’s spine as she looked around. The department store had been full before, but now there were no shouts, no commotion, no sounds of other people at all. It was as though her, Ness, and Jeff were the only three people in the building-

There. She saw movement, just out of the corner of her eye. She turned to try and follow it, and the little light available from the store’s front doors revealed a large dark mass and three eyes; two higher up, one lower and set between the first two.

She couldn’t look away, and the chill down her spine now froze her in place.

_No…_

She opened her mouth, but it felt too dry to speak.

_No, no no no, please…_

She tried to cast an attack, but in her head she could see the Happy Happyists, see the monsters from Threed, the shape seemed to multiply in front of her and there were too many and she couldn’t concentrate-

_Not again!_

The crowd ran at her as if it was a single being, and in the time it took Paula to blink and remember that it WAS a single being it had already grabbed her.

It took until they were at the second floor for her to find her voice again, but an arm covered her mouth too tightly for her to scream, and her head was too clouded with fear to use her powers. All she could do was watch as she was pulled away from her friends, unable to even let them know she was being kidnapped.

Then her captor turned a corner, and the people who had sworn up and down that she’d never have to suffer through this again were gone.

The monster moved so fast that the stores blurred into one another, but with every lurch she knew they were moving up another floor, only stopping when they reached the far side of the arcade area. She heard the sound of a door opening, and then the world tilted as she was flung through the doorframe into a waiting pair of arms.

Light through the shuttered windows made this room lighter than the mall, but only slightly. It was still enough for Paula to see that they were in some kind of office… as well as the tentacled monster that had captured her.

She twisted around, trying to break free, and the sudden movement managed to shake one arm’s grip. A sudden anger at her situation, at her captors and her helplessness, pierced through her mind, and she prepared the first psychic attack that came to her mind.

Fire erupted down Paula’s arm, not harming her, but enough to cause the man holding her to scream and let go. She kicked backwards for good measure, feeling it connect somewhere hard, and summoned another burst of flame as she ran at the monster.

“PSI-“

A sudden jolt, and the world seemed to swim around her.

Paula knew she had tripped and hit the floor, the sparks of another fire attack spluttering out in midair, but at the same time it was like it was happening to someone else. She felt heavy, and while she tried to focus her strength even making a small flame was too exhausting.

She was picked up again, the smell of burnt fabric and flesh hinting that it was the same man as before, but even with his weakened grip Paula was too tired to break free again.

“You couldn’t have done that sooner?” she heard the man ask as they turned around and walked (or rather he walked and she was led) to a different door, opening up to reveal a deep stairway. “And I still don’t get this plan, I thought the baseball boy was the target.”

“Gwaagh, we were explicitly told to capture the girl!” the monster said. “If you don’t want to explain yourself to your master, hurry and take her away!”

The last thing she heard before the door closed was the chime of the mall’s intercom.

“Your attention please, would the customer from Onett, Mr. Ness, please proceed to the office on the fourth floor…”


	2. A plan revealed

How long had they been walking?

It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes, but Paula’s legs shook as though she had been marched all the way from her home in Twoson, and she didn’t know if it was from exhaustion or fear.

It didn’t feel real. She had been terrified just a while ago, when she had been snatched up and away from her friends, but now it was as though this whole thing was happening to another girl and Paula just happened to be looking through her eyes at the time. All she wanted was to be away from her captors, away from the horrible memories of that cabin in the valley, but without her PSI this was the next best thing.

She wondered about Ness and Jeff. She hoped they were okay.

It didn’t take long until they reached the end of the tunnel, stepping inside an elevator that shuddered and jumped as the two ascended. Between the wallpaper along the sides and how far Paula assumed they had been walking, she wasn’t surprised when the doors finally opened to reveal what had to be the Monotoli building.

The man in the suit shoved her in the back, ordering her to walk forward, and Paula didn’t have much choice but to do so. She looked around, hoping for a friendly face or at least a witness, but the only presence in the halls aside from them was a small robot that seemed to be patrolling the area.

“I said get moving.” Another shove caused Paula to nearly trip, though once she sped up to an uncomfortable pace the prodding stopped. “Mr. Minch wants to see you.”

_Minch._ It was Pokey behind things after all, then. He had just been an advisor to… to… back in the valley, but now he must have been pulling the strings behind Monotoli. Paula wished she could be surprised. Or feel anything, now that she thought about it.

But maybe that wasn’t the best idea. Even if she was able to cry right now, Paula didn’t think that she’d be able to stop.

Eventually they reached a small waiting room, with Paula and her captor at one end and a double door with two guards in front of it at the other. Paula stepped back a little, holding her arms, which caused the doormen to laugh and the man escorting her to frown.

“Think it’s cute or somethin’? You wouldn’t be laughin’ if you’d seen what she did to me.” He held out the still-scorched limb for emphasis, though it didn’t stop the guards from smiling.

She didn’t like how they smiled.

“So what do y’want us to do about it?”

“Let us through to see the little brat, what do you think?”

“For this girl?” the man on the left adjusted his sunglasses. “Goddamn, we’re bodyguards, not a dating service. Why is he so set on these kids, anyway? One too many swirlies at school?”

“Do I look like a man who cares about that shit? At least take ‘er off my hands so I can get to the hospital, yeah?”

The three men argued for another minute or so, but soon enough Paula was left to lean against the wall as one of the guards talked on his radio. The doors looked to be heavy, solid wood, but even so Paula could hear noises and the sound of something large being moved before the conversation was over. Nodding at each other, the two men went to open the doors.

A part of Paula that could still feel anything about this situation hated herself for how quickly she walked inside. But it wasn’t as though anyone here was about to give her a choice.

\--------

“Well, well, I didn’t think I’d see you back so soon! Finally decided to ditch that loser Ness, huh?”

Even knowing he was behind this whole situation, Paula really had hoped to never see Pokey again. Nevertheless he was there on the large sofa, bag of chips in one hand and what looked like a walkie-talkie in the other. Next to him was an older, frail-looking man in a dull grey suit, the kind of person Paula probably would have overlooked if he hadn’t been fidgeting so much.

“Hey, it’s rude to ignore someone who’s talking to ya!”

“It… it’s rude to kidnap people, too.” Part of her realized how tired her voice sounded, but the rest of her didn’t care.

“Not my fault you make it so easy, Polly.” Pokey smirked as he got her name wrong, standing up and adjusting his suit like he was showing off what his tricks had earned. “I didn’t even have to use my acting skills this time! Still, maybe… yeah! How about an encore, just for you?”

The boy’s face scrunched up in fake tears, and he sniffled in as unconvincing a manner as possible. “Miss… miss Paula, I need your help! My dad’s been weird ever since coming back from Peaceful Rest Valley, and… and yesterday he was yelling at my brother, and when I tried to stop him he… he…”

“Stop it.” Was this really the boy Ness talked about with such worry? The same boy she had tried to help only to fall into a horrible trap?

“I just… I just don’t get it… what did I do wrong…?”

That small part of her was furious, demanding Paula cry, yell, do anything to fight back against him. She looked down at her hands, only to see that they were already clenched tight without her knowing. But looking back at Pokey’s face, Paula could only see his grin as they had been surrounded by the Happy Happy cultists, hear his laugh as he walked over to Carpainter’s side and a chemical smell covered her mouth…

\--------

Paula blinked, and realized that she was on the floor. Had she been knocked out? No, the guards were only now running to surround her. She felt something warm on her face, and after bringing a hand up to her eye realized that it was tears.

Pokey was laughing, that awful stuffed-up laugh that had echoed in her head while trapped in that cabin. One guard crouched to help her sit up, and while Paula wasn’t able to refuse the help she hugged herself tight in a vain attempt to keep herself from shaking.

At the very least, she had been right about not being able to stop crying.

With one last ugly laugh Pokey waved the guards away, brushing some hair out of his eyes so he could take in as much of the sight as he was able.

“THIS is Twoson’s sweetheart? The girl that’s supposed to help stop Giygas?” He shoved a handful of chips into his mouth, started talking again, coughed, and swallowed before repeating himself. “Between you and that Foggyland poindexter the standards are pretty low, huh?”

Paula opened her mouth to speak, but all that she could get out was a choked sob that prompted Pokey to laugh again.

“I mean if you’re so easy to take out, maybe I should’ve been one of the chosen kids after all!”

Fighting back tears, Paula managed to find her voice. “Y… you tricked me.”

“I just spun things around a little. It’s not my fault you trusted such a lovable face, is it?”

Someone coughed to clear their throat, and both children turned towards the couch. The old man who Paula had assumed to be Monotoli was still there; he had been so quiet that Paula had honestly forgotten about him, but he was now looking at her with what seemed to be… fear?

“This… this is the girl, isn’t it? The one he wanted-”

“Yep, it sure is!” Pokey quickly interrupted, rolling his eyes like he was an embarrassed friend and not the second-in-command to a corrupt government. “Sir, how about you go check on our other guest? We’re going to need them very soon, you should get your kicks in while you can.”

“She…”

“Yes, sir?”

“She’s just… just a young girl.” The man rubbed his head, and his eyes were clenched shut like he was trying to remember something. “What could… nn. No, this isn’t right…”

“Mister Monotoli, sir!” Pokey moved faster than Paula would have expected, standing to face Monotoli like her mother facing an unruly student. “We’re so close now, you can’t tell me you’re having second thoughts? After all this work to get back at your boss, to become mayor?”

“But, kidnapping-“

“Mister Monotoli, you know we have to do this today. If everything is going to work, we have to do it now…” Even turned away from her, Paula could hear a sudden coldness in Pokey’s voice. “Before the soup gets cold, yes?”

Monotoli shuddered, then stood up. He seemed different, now: he looked to be surer of himself, with a harsher tone to his voice. “I… yes. Before the knife gets rusty, we must act.”

“That’s the spirit, sir! Now, if I may make a suggestion…” Pokey nodded to two guards in the room, who went to a side door on the left side of the room. “We need to introduce the other two losers to him. One happens to know our guest, so when you deal with him make sure to do it by the café. They’ll hear the shot and come running.”

_Guest? Shot?_ Paula could hear what they were saying, but at the same time she couldn’t have possibly heard right. _Did Pokey just tell him to-_

“You heard him, men,” Monotoli barked at the two guards Pokey had singled out. “Let’s deal with that thief properly.”

_Thief?_

Monotoli opened the door and walked through, the two men following behind him. Paula couldn’t see what was going on, but there was some talking… then the wet sound of what must have been a kick… and then the groan of a voice that sounded terrifyingly familiar.

Before she knew it she was on her feet again, running for the door. A guard tried to grab at her but she ducked underneath his hand, and managed to get as far as the doorframe before she was seized. It was close enough for Paula to see exactly what was going on… and close enough for her to wish she hadn’t.

“M… MISTER EVERDRED!”

\--------

The crime boss of Burglin Park lay on the tile floor of the room, glasses askew and broken, and his colourful shirt stained with what could only be blood. Even as she was yanked back out of sight, Paula’s eyes locked onto where she had seen him until the door closed once and for all.

“NO! MISTER EVERDRED!”

How could he be here? Ness had said that he helped reveal what happened to her when- the first time she was- that he helped Ness out, but why was he in Fourside? What happened to get him involved with Monotoli? Were they really going to… to…

She turned to Pokey, wanting to ask all those questions and more, wanting to shake him until he called things off and gave some answers, but all she could manage was a strangled “W… why… why are you…?”

“Oops, did you know him too? Wow… I mean, I meant for that to be a surprise, but this just makes it so much better!” Pokey laughed again, the sound making Paula feel sick to her stomach.

“As for why? Well, he sold something pretty useful to Mister Monotoli only to go back on his deal and try to steal the statue back! We couldn’t just let that happen… luckily our brave police force was there to deal with the thief and turn him over to us, yeah?”

The world started to tilt in front of her, and Paula had no idea how she could still stand but somehow she was. “Please… please, Pokey, you don’t have to do this, I… you can’t do this!”

“Um, sure I can? Who’s gonna stop me?” Pokey grinned widely as he fell back on the couch, leaning heavily on it despite the squeaks of protest. “You, with all those freak powers you can’t even use?”

“Ness will… he’ll find out what’s going on, and-“

“Of COURSE he will!” Laughing, the boy threw up his hands in fake frustration. “That’s the whole plan, or didn’t you hear that part? You think I don’t know my goody-two-shoes neighbor will check out the first sign of trouble? Why do you think I told them to take that guy to the café?”

She knew. How could she not, after what she had just seen? But Paula couldn’t bring herself to say it.

“I… Pokey, how could you bring it here? That thing is going to hurt so many people…”

“Still worried about yourself? Wow, you guys really ARE pathetic,” Pokey chortled. “I know exactly what that statue is gonna do; make me the coolest guy ever! And it’ll be all thanks to you losers!”

He pointed to one of the remaining guards. “You there, open the window. The rest can clear out, and you join them once you’re done.”

“But P- sir, the windows don’t open this high up.”

“You mean I can’t even hear the guy get offed? Fine then… tell one of ‘em to leave his walkie-talkie on, and leave yours on the table. Then get out of here.”

Pokey folded his arms, smirking as the guards did as he said and left the room. Not one of them looked as Paula trying to wipe her tearstained face as they passed, and within a minute it was only the two of them in the room along with a large handheld radio.

“Grown-ups sure are pathetic, huh? They always act like they’re better than you, but show off some money and suddenly they’ll lick your boots clean for a dollar.”

“Like your dad?”

Paula regretted her words as soon as she said them, but covering her mouth couldn’t take them back. Pokey’s laugh may have been enough to make her feel sick before, but the look he gave now… Paula could have sworn that it was actually hurting her.

The boy’s voice was low and quiet, like her mom’s when a reporter was getting too pushy asking Paula for interviews, but with an anger she didn’t even know existed. He stood up, and even with her lack of psychic power Paula could feel the other boy give off a terrifying presence.

“You do NOT get to talk about him. You wouldn’t have any idea, with your fancy powers and everyone… You and Ness. You don’t know. You don’t get to talk about him.”

Paula felt herself shrink back. She had thought his lies before were just that, but… Ness had never said anything about what Pokey’s family was like, but you don’t get that angry without a good reason. She still hated him, of course, but… what had to happen to someone, to turn them into a person like the boy in front of her?

“It’s… it’s not too late, Pokey.” She honestly had no idea whether that was true or not, but it was her last and only option. “Just… just call them off, please. You don’t have to do this.”

“Haven’t you been paying attention?” Slamming a fist onto the table, Pokey didn’t flinch as the radio fell over in a burst of static. “I don’t have to do anything people tell me anymore. From now on I’m the one giving orders!”

“The statue is still using you, Pokey, you need to fight it! Come back with me and Ness, and you can-“

“Can what? Can give up on finally being on top for the first time in my life? Go back to being that fat kid with the shitty parents and no friends?”

“Ness is-“

“Ness is a pathetic loser who doesn’t even know when folks talk behind his back! But I do… I know exactly what they say about me. He’s the only kid who doesn’t call me Porky instead, did you know that?”

“… N… No, but-“

“Well, look at Porky now!” Pokey stretched out his arms, showing off the tailored suit, his polished shoes, the golden room that the two children were in. “This is all mine, with more to come, and who cares what I have to do to get it! It’s not like anyone gave a shit about me before, not even Ness!”

“That’s not true, Pokey! He-“

“Are you saying this stuff because you’re actually worried about me, or just because you want me to stop?”

Paula’s silence was the only answer Pokey needed. He turned around, looking out of the window as the girl shook with every effort not to start crying again.

“What’s the matter? All your fancy school stuff and happy family life and you can’t think of something to say?”

He was right. She didn’t know what he was going through, not really. They had all underestimated him, assumed he’d never go this far, and now thoughts were whirring around in the back of Paula’s mind as she slowly pieced together the scope of Pokey’s plan.

“You’re luring Ness to the st- the statue. You kidnapped me again b… because I’d recognize what it felt like and tell him that it was a trap.”

Pokey said nothing.

“It messes with people’s heads… and it’s going to do the same to Ness. But that can’t be the only reason, can it? There are all kinds of easier ways, even using it on-“ she shuddered again. “-On all of us at once. So why-“

“D’ya wanna hear something cool, Polly?”

Now was not the time to correct him on what her name was. “… What?”

“It’s a secret, not many folks know, but… turns out, everyone has a little bit of psychic power in them. Me, my brother, that nerd who joined you… well, not you right now, but you get the idea.” He straightened up a bit, as though regaining his composure. “It’s no fireballs or shields, but hunches? Lucky guesses? Déja vu? Even daydreaming is just a small bit of the power that lets you and Pig’s Butt always save the day.”

A loud crack echoed through the room, causing Paula to jump and Pokey to turn. She had almost forgotten about the radio on the table, but now that it had carried the news of Everdred’s death Paula had to keep herself from crying all over again.

“Eh, and it’s all a matter of time now…” chuckling to himself, Pokey walked over and turned the radio off. “But yep! Everyone’s got a little bit of freaky stuff in their head. I mean, how else could some stupid golden statue manipulate an entire village?”

“Including you.”

There was a pause, before Pokey coughed and continued as though nothing had happened. “Yeah, well if it wasn’t for that I never would have learned, would I? That statue doesn’t just mess with people’s heads using psychic junk, Pauline; it eats that energy. Chows down and uses it to lure more people in so it can go after them too and get stronger.”

Paula’s eyes widened, and despite all the danger she was getting ready to run for the door then and there. “Ness…”

“Got it in one!” Pokey laughed. “In a pathetic little village, it convinced everyone to start painting things blue. But in a city like this, with Ness as the statue’s main power source? That loser Monotoli is only the beginning! Mani Mani’s gonna take over every mind in Fourside, and the great Pokey will be the one in control!”

Keep him talking. Wait until he turns away again. Be fast enough and you can avoid the guards. “And wh- what will keep you from getting brainwashed again?”

“Let’s just say… well, the mayor and Fourside’s police department aren’t my only connections right now. You’re actually really lucky, you know, hanging out with the new king of the world on the night of his conquest! I mean people usually want to make girls their queen, but you’re annoying and girls are gross. Maybe if it just meant you gave me snacks and stuff…”

That did it. “Not if you were the last person on EARTH, you… you horrid…”

_Mani Mani Mani Mani_

Paula never finished her insult, however, as a deep vibration pulsed through the building, causing her to clutch her stomach in shock and sudden nausea.

Pokey reeled back as well, though he managed to catch himself on the back of the sofa, and in that instant he looked out the window towards what Paula presumed to be the direction of Jackie’s café she was off running for the door. Pokey looked back and shouted the alarm, but as long as the doors weren’t locked she didn’t see why she wouldn’t be able to-

_Mani Mani Mani Mani_

The floor was the ceiling and the ceilings were walls and the golden room was turning into clashing neon and Paula felt like her brain was being pulled in seven directions at once-

_Mani Mani Mani Mani_

She blinked, and everything seemed normal, but now she really was on the ceiling and had she been thrown or was she always meant to be there-

_Mani Mani Mani Mani_

No, yes, this was floor, but now a coldness was sweeping through her mind, looking for energy that wasn’t there but scraping up crumbs regardless and was it the source of that high pitched scream or was it her own mouth?

Nothing was real. Everything was real. The only thing that didn’t seem to change was Pokey, arms outstretched, as he laughed in huge heaving gasps:

“Ladies! Gentlemen! Pathetic loser friends of Ness… Welcome to Moonside!”


End file.
